Alden Lawrence enters his second year at the helm of the Yellow Jacket soccer program after spending one season as the men’s and women’s head coach at Bethany College.

The move is a homecoming of sorts for Lawrence who is returning to the region where he spent two years as an assistant head coach for men’s soccer at The University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio.

In 2003, Lawrence helped to guide Findlay to a Great Lakes Regional Championship en route to an appearance in the NCAA Division II Final Four. The Oilers ended that season with a national ranking of No. 5 in the final NSCAA Division II poll.

Prior to coming to Findlay, Lawrence spent two years as a youth development officer at the senior club level with the Queen’s Park Football Club in Glasgow, Scotland. As a coach in the Queen’s Park youth program, Lawrence was responsible for the long-term development of footballers aspiring to sign with the club’s senior team.

During his undergraduate studies, Lawrence spent time coaching the Emerald Soccer Club in Hudson, Ohio while also coaching high school teams in Akron, Ohio. Lawrence also worked within various soccer communities as a volunteer coach, YMCA soccer instructor and USSF referee.

Lawrence graduated from The University of Findlay in 2005 with a M.A. in Education and earned a B.A. in English from Kent State University with a minor in Philosophy.

Currently, Lawrence holds a National “D” License from the USSF, an Advanced National Diploma and State Goalkeeping Diploma from the NSCAA, and a Level Four Children’s certification, Level Three Youth certification and Level One Goalkeeping certification from the SFA.

contact Coach Lawrence at alawrence@defiance.edu or (419) 783-2588

Jared Orzolek begins his second year as the assistant coach for the Men's soccer program.

Orzolek is a 2003 graduate of King’s College where he earned a degree in Mass Communication and Media Technology. He was also a sprinter for the college's track and field program. He has been involved with soccer as a player, coach and referee at the youth levels.

Orzolek is a newspaper reporter for the Crescent-News in Defiance.